Hame and trace connector.



G. L. FORMAN.

HAME AND TRACE CONNECTOR. APPLICATION FILED uovfzs, 1914.

1, 167,1 61. Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

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GEORGE L. FORMAN, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTU KY, ASSIGNOR 'ro EoRMA -BREEN MANUFACTURING CoMrANY, or LoUIsvILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KENTUCKY.

HAME AN1) TRACE CONNECTOR.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

Application filed November 23, 1914. Serial No.873,510.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. FORMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at.

Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hame and Trace Connectors, of which the following is a specification.

This application embraces matter which is shown, described and generically claimed in my application for Letters Patent of the United States filed April 1, 1914, Serial No. 828,772, for improvements in hame and trace connectors; particularly relating to thatiform or forms of the generic invention embodied in my application No. 828,772, in which the elements whose forward ends are loosely or pivotallyconnected to the hame body are rigid members as contradistinguished from flexible members.

The particular form of the invention made the subject of the present application for patent is susceptible of modificatlon, certain of which modifications are herein exemplified. The features which character ize are set forth in the following description and particularly defined in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views: Figure lis a side elevation showing a ha-me-body provided with one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 is aside elevation showing a hame-body provided with a second form of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a detail of one member of the hame-element shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail of the trace element which is used With the construction of hame member shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing a further modification of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a still further modification of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a detail of a form of rigid member which may be employed in all of the forms of the invention illustrated in the foregoing views; Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic representation illustrative of the operation of the device.

Referring to Fig. 1, A designates a hamebody which may be of the usual or any suitable construction, ,and B designates a trace. The trace shown in this figure is a chain, but a trace of any other suitable kind may be employed. 10, 10 designate rigid'ele-v .ments of the hamemember of the connector.

body A by suitable means, asthe staples 12,

12, for example. They diverge forwardly from opposite ends of an element, which in this particular form of the invention is a bar 14, and their rear'ends 13, 13 are loosely or pivotally" connected to opposite ends of said element. The trace member in this'particular form of the invention is a hook C having an eye at its end by which it is loosely mounted on the bar 14, the connec tion between the hook and the bar being such that the hook is free to slide on said bar in the direction of the length of the hams-body. this book. The staples 12, 12or the elements used in lieu thereof-are arranged on opposite sides of av point, indicated at 15, at which it is desired to maintain the draft and it will. be noted. that this point is substantially centrally between the places of connection of the elements 10, '10 to the vhame.

The action of the device is clearly indi cated in Fig. 8, upon reference to which it will be noted that the unbroken lines show The trace B is connected to,

to be shifted to the line n, for example, the

rigid elements 10 will revolve about their respective pivot points 12, 12 and the hook C, having free movement on the bar 14,- will at the same time slip on the latter until the parts assume the position shown by the dot-and-dash lines as, it being noted that the line of stress will still pass through the point 15. Similarly, if the line of stress be shifted to the line m, the parts' will assume the position shown by the broken lines as, the line of stress continuing to pass through the point 15. Henoe, it will be seen that the connection automatically so adjusts itself to the line of draft that the latter will always fall upon a point which is substantially centrally between the places at which the elements 12, 12 are, connected to the hame-body. The'latter places are so arranged with respect to each other that the strain will be distributed over a com parativelyconsiderable area of the hamebody-so that the strain of draft is notlocalized on a single point on the hame-body. Accordingly, the irritation and galling of the shoulder of the animal is avoided by the present arrangement.

In the construction shown in 2 the rigid elements, which are designated 1O, 10 because they are identical with those shown in Fig. 1, have their rear ends pivoted to a plate 14: formed with a longitudinal slot a and the hook, marked (1 in this ligure, has its shank extending through and slidable in the said slot (1 and is provided at its Eront'end with a head 0 which prevents it from being accidentally separated from the plate l i In practice, this form 01 the invention operates substantially like the form shown in Fig. 1.

In both of the forms hereinbefore referred to the hook is arran ed to slide in the direction of the length ot the hame-body upon an element which connects the rear ends of the members 10 to each other. If desired, however, the element which connects the rear ends of the elements 10 with each other may be arranged to slide relatively to the latter. Such an embodiment of the invention is exemplified in Fig. 5, wherein the trace member includes a hook, marked C and a part 2% of the style known in the art as a D, but the part 2% may be of any suitable construction. The part 24 takes the place of the bar 14: and plate 1%, shown respectively in Figs. 1 and 2. Its forward portion is engaged by the forwardly diverging rigid members, marked 20 in this figure, its connection with the rear ends of the latter being such that it is free to slide relatively thereto in the direction of the length of the hame body. The hook, C is mounted to revolve on the part 24 but moves therewith in the sliding adjustments of the latter, being held against movement longitudinally thereof.

It will be understood that in some instances means other than a hook may be used to connect the trace with the hame member of the connector, it being only necessary that the means be such as to permit free relatively slidable movement of the hame part and trace part of the connection in the direction of the length of the hame body, so that the line of strain will always fallen a point approximately half-way between the places at which the rigid elements are connected to the hame-body. In Fig. 6 I have exemplified an arrangement wherein a leather trace, marked B is attached directly to the loop or D, the latter being marked 34:. In any case it will be noted that as herein exemplified the connector includes parts 10 or 20called hame elementswhich are loosely attached to the hame body and a part C, or C C or 24*- or 3 lcalled a trace part which is connected to the trace, and it also will be noted that in all forms the trace part is movable between and relatively to the rear ends of the hame elements in the direction of the length of the hame body and has connection with the rear ends of the hame, either directly as shown in Figs. 5 and 6in which the 3 s 24% and 34 are mounted directly in eyes in the rear ends of the elements 20, or indirectly as shown in Figs. 1 and 2-in which the hooks C and C are mounted on a bar 14 or a plate is, respectively, which connect the rearends of the elements 10 together. The arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is preferred.

It is to be understood that the normal line of draft, in all cases, and in the diagram, is indicated as horizontal. It will be understood, however, that normally the trace will be inclined downwardly toward the rear. It will also be understood that, depending on the particular shape of the hame body A, the upper and lower hame elements 10 may vary in length relative to each other.

Having now described the invention what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a hame-body, and a draft connection arranged constantly to maintain the line of draft through a predetermined point on the hame-body, the said draft connection including rigid elements whose forward ends are loosely connected to the hame-body at spaced points, and a part arranged to be connected to a trace and hav ing connection with the rear ends of said elements and slidable with relation thereto in the direction of the length of the hamebody.

2. The combination with a hame-body and a trace. of means connecting the hame-body with the trace, the said means being arranged to maintain the line of draft through a predetermined point on the hame-body and including rigid elements whose forward ends are loosely connected to the h ame-body at spaced points and a part connected to the trace, the said parthaving lateral pivotal movement and having connection with the rear ends of said elements and being slidable with relation to the latter in the direction of the length of the hamebody.

3. The combination of a hame-body and a draft connection arranged constantly to maintain the line of draft through a predetermined point on the hame-bodv, the said draft connection including rigid elements whose forward ends are loosely connected to the hame-body at spaced point, an element loosely connected to the rear ends of the first-named elements and connecting the same to each other, and a trace part con nected to the second-named element and movable relatively thereto in the direction of the length of thehame-body.

4:. The combination of a hame-body and a draft connection arranged constantly to maintain the line of draft through a predetermined point on the hame-body, the said draft connection including rigid elements whose forward ends are loosely connected to the hame-body at spaced points, a bar having its ends loosely connected to the rear ends of said elements and connecting the same, and a part slidably mounted on the said bar. 7

5. The combination of a hame-body and a draft connection arranged constantly to maintain the line of draft through a predetermined point on the hame-body, the said draft connection including rigid elements whose forward ends are loosely connected to the hame-body at spaced points, an element loosely connected to the rear ends of the first-named elements, and a trace-part connected to the second named element and arranged to move relatively to the latter pivotally in a lateral direction and bodily in the direction of the length of the hamebody.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- E. M. BREEN, RAY MoGRATH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

